Monthly Archives: January 2015

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Luckily, gone are the days (well, somewhat) where the camera received more action than the kissing couple on screen. Oh yes, you know what we are talking about. We’re sure you all remember the days where our lip-locked couple are completely frozen, literally locked together, while the camera pans and spins away around them. Or the times you check the minutes of the drama because you think the drama is buffering because nothing is happening. But then, there are those rare moments where we witness a heartbreakingly beautiful kiss, the kind where we secretly dream of experiencing. These are the kiss we dream of or become the stuff of nightmares! Let’s take a look at the worst kisses and best kisses of Korean dramas!

phoenix’s picks

HOT AND STEAMY

Marriage, Not Dating: Can I just say that Han Groo and Yeon Woo-jin definitely have some crackling chemistry and smoldering kisses between them? One of my favorites was in the episode where Han Groo initiates the mind-blowing kiss that spurs Yeon Woo-jin to deliver a swoon-worthy make-out session, forgetting that they have an audience. We also got some yummy smoochies when they were hiding by their car.

It’s Okay, That’s Love: Nice smooches between Gong Hyo-Jin and Jo In-Sung. Jo In-Sung is very intense when he kisses, taking full control of it. We have smoochies by the waterfall and a epic smooch by the beach, while trying to condition Gong Hyo-Jin to accept affectionate touches without feeling bothered by them. We also got smattered smooching between the two throughout the whole drama that are so sweet that they give me cavities, I swear.

Secret: Mmmmm, although I’m not really a fan of forced kisses, especially when Ji Sung sprung one on Hwang Jung-Eum, the kiss at the end of the drama made up for everything. Everything in the beginning of the drama screamed hate, violence, and angst. However, the beautiful and amazing kiss at the end blew my mind with it’s joy and acceptance. It was like having a mini-catharsis just by watching that one lip-lock.

Flower Boy Ramyun Shop: MMMMMM, such yummy kisses here between Jung Il-woo and Lee Chung-ah. We have spicy kimchi kisses and we have a mindblowing, fangirl swoon-inducing make out session by one youngin’s motorbike. Jung Il-woo sure knows to work those lips!

FROZEN

Heirs: Ermergerd, I cringed when Lee Min Ho kisses Park Shin-Hye. There was no chemistry and the kiss actually repulsed me. Park Shin-Hye looked like a deer caught in headlights and Lee Min Ho is trying to do all the work with no response. EEEK. Unfortunately, the camera zooms in and all I can see is Park Shin-Hye’s distressed face every time they touch lips.

Well well well, what do we have here? Let’s just say that Hyde, Jekyll, Me is quite the opposite from Kill Me, Heal Me, even though both dramas focus on dissociative identity disorder. It is whimsical and pretty in so many different ways, much like its Wonderland setting. Where KMHM has a kind dominant personality and rough alter, HJM is the opposite. The main personality is Seo-Jin, cold prince…well sociopath extraordinaire. He describes himself as the perfect saint, preventing himself from feeling anything, indulging in anything, and doing anything that is not his work. This is all to keep his vitals below that dangerous number of 150. Once he reaches that mark, Robin, his alter pops out. Robin, however, is the kind, soul-saving, OMG KILLER SMILE (so swoony), man that was born out of Seo-Jin’s guilt and past trauma. His family knows about Seo-Jin’s Robin sized problem, well I wouldn’t call it a problem since he is so nice, and keeps him tasered and under wraps.

Meanwhile, Jang Ha-na, daughter of the Wonderland’s late circus ringmaster comes back to South Korea to save the circus group from getting cut. In an effort to extend the contract, she runs into Seo-jin many ties and they develop an immediate dislike to each other. However, Ha-na becomes involved in a missing persons situation and is the sole witness to who captured Dr. Kang, the psychiatrist who has the solution to Seo-Jin’s DID. As Ha-na was being strangled by the kidnapper, she rejected by Seo-Jin, but saved by Robin (who had apparently saved her when she was younger). Ha-na now undergoes hypnosis by a famous student of Dr. Kang’s, but now is also in danger from the kidnapper. Robin appears again to save Ha-na from danger and confuses her as he has the same face as Seo-Jin, but is a complete free spirit instead.

Wow, am I on a drama roll lately! So I decided to check out Spy, just to see if I like it. It does have all the elements I really love such as spies, action, conspiracy, hidden agendas, which side am I really on…..but after two episodes, it hasn’t sparked for me yet. More like just simmering coals right now. The drama itself is slickly filmed and the plot does sound interesting for sure. However, I’m not sure what it is, but I don’t have a eager passion for it yet. While Bae Jang Ok who plays Hye Rim, the mother, is perfect in her role as a ex-spy, I am less convinced by Sun Woo, played by Jaejoong. Although I have watched other projects by Jaejoong, I am not sure if he has improved from them. This is not to say his acting is bad per say, but I am sure not fangirling over it either. It’s just a bit bland for me at the moment, which I hope will improve soon! Finally, Yo Oh Seung, playing N. Korean handler, is very skillful in delivering a villain we like to hate!

Let’s pick up where we left off last week: Naoki and Keita are still having a nasty exchange – glaring their eyes at each other and exchanging harsh words. Naoki tells Keita to not lay his hands on Kotoko and to bring it on if he dares to.

Kotoko later tells her fainting incident to Satomi and Jinko. When she woke up, Naoki was monitoring her! How cute and cheesy. With that, Kotoko wouldn’t mind fainting from time to time. Yet, what Jinko and Satomi care about is Keita’s identity. Who was this handsome guy carrying her? Is she having an affair?! It would be interesting to see Keita and Naoki fighting over Kotoko… Dear ladies, your wishes are about to become true.

Summer school starts: Kotoko and her teammates are studying for a project except that Kotoko isn’t being as productive. Thankfully we have Keita; he is always there to give her an abrupt wake up call. Girl needs to stop constantly thinking and dreaming about Naoki and FOCUS. After the last group meeting, Motoki proposes that they hang out one more time before the beginning of the following semester. Bowling it is. Only Tomoko is unable to join them; she has a part-time job. Not surprisngly it involves cutting something – fishes. She’s so creepy.

So recently, I realized I’ve picked up an enormous load of dramas to watch. Even so, I couldn’t resist starting Kill Me Heal Me which reprised the intense chemistry-ladened couple from Secret Love, Ji Sung and Hwang Jung Eum. So far, this drama has the works of a romcom with a dash of seriousness, your typical formula. Not that it’s a bad thing, I just know what I’m getting out of it. Kill Me Heal Me tells the story of a chaebol gentlemen who has dissociative personality disorder, which means he has 7 different personalities! This means that Ji Sung has one main “owner personality” named Do Hyun, a strong alternate named Se Gi, and 6 other weaker personalities. The personality splits are mainly caused by traumatic events in the past where the mind tries to protect itself, and thus a “person” is born to take away the emotions/memories that the main personality cannot handle. Of course, when Do Hyun slides into another personality, especially his more violent and savage alternate, Se Gi, it causes all sorts of trouble for him and unfortunately, he cannot even remember the events that happened while he was gone. While in his alternate state of Se Gi, he manages to fall in love with a psychiatrist named Oh Ri-jin who is the first women to treat him roughly. However, his main personality is in love with his child hood friend. To treat his disorder secretly, his main personality will end up hiring this psychiatrist his alternate is in love with. A love triangle with himself…and other guys in the future, how confusing! But interesting and funny due to the shenanigans that the alternate personalities cause in Do Hyun’s absence.

As for the acting, Ji Sung is again superb in his acting of not just one character, but 7! With a few minutes of cringeworthy Engrish in the beginning episodes, we are fortunately back in Korea for his chaebol power fight for the rest of the drama. For the fangirl inside me, I do find his violent alternate, Se Gi, pretty darn sexy. Guy-linered, leather-jacket wearing, single earring, tattooed fighter that he is. Poor Do Hyun, the meek “good” main is often pushed to the side. However, I am less enthused with the supernatural looking gleam in his eyes and magical tattoo that appears when he transforms. As for Oh Ri-Jin, unfortunately for now, she is much to shrill for my tastes. While I liked her in Secret Love, she is acting live a screechy wild woman in this drama who screams and kicks about much too wildly for now. I hope I will see more subtle acting from her soon!

How odd. That is how I describe this addiction to Misaeng. I finally caved after hearing such raving reviews about how good it is. I even watched 6 episodes before pulling myself away long enough to write this review. What is weird, is that even though the drama hits none of my favorite drama tropes, it grabs me in another way. What had put me off from watching it earlier was the theme of the drama, office-life, which of course did not spark any interest and to be honest, sounded really boring. I was much more used to the regular drama fare, the dramatic story lines, the angsty chaebols, the birth secrets, the whirlwind romances or longing first loves. However, Misaeng is one of the most realistic and truest pieces I’ve ever watched. It portrays regular, ordinary life, but delivers such powerful messages at the same time. It really shows character growth and the power of human relationships.

Kotoko is ecstatic to start her nursing courses, especially with the nursing department adjacent to the medical one. More Naoki stalking.

Things quickly get rough though. Kotoko doesn’t know anyone in the nursing program plus she is three years older than the other students. Oh, oh let’s not forget that Kotoko starts her nursing program by attracting attention to herself. Negative of course. She is caught day dreaming in class and is called out by her professor.

Kotoko meets her nursing teammates.

The cute and nice Tomoko

The golddigger Marina. Her ultimate goal is to marry a wealthy and accomplished man. Preferably a doctor – that’s why she decided to become a nurse. Shallow much.

The passionate Keita. He’s enthusiastic about everything he does. He wants to become the best nurse and pushes his teamates to work as hard. His personality seem to often clash with Marina’s; he can’t stand why she decided to become a nurse.

The handsome Motoki. A man who feels like a woman deep down and a fan of Naoki!